Cartouches of Rameses II

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Today we are going to look at the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓!

It always felt like my Nonno took pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏪 of everything in museums – I definitely learned from the best! I’m so happy that the two 𓏻 of us did take pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏪 of everything because all of the pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏪 you see on this account were either taken by me, Nonno, or sometimes another family member! Even though the glass in front of the artifacts can cause a glare and make it more difficult to take a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, I’m thankful for it now because you can see my Nonno’s reflection! 

This is a calcite 𓍱 (alabaster) vase 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏋 with the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of Rameses II on it. 

We are going to start with the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the right! This is the throne name of Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖, which is preceded by the normal royal title! 

𓎟 – Lord 

𓇿𓇿 – Two Lands

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Usermaatre setep en Ra

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Usermaatre setep en Ra 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖” translates to “The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra.” Let’s look at the name 𓂋𓈖 more closely:

𓇳 – Ra

𓄊 – Powerful

𓁧 – Justice (Maat)

𓇳 – Ra

𓍉𓈖 – Chosen

Now let’s look at the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 on the right! This is the birth name of Rameses II 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 which is also preceded by the normal royal title! 

𓎟 – Lord 

𓈍𓏥 – Appearances 

𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Ramessu mery Amun

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Ramessu mery Amun 𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓” translates to “Ra has fashioned him, beloved of Amun.” The name 𓂋𓈖 could also be translated as “Ra Bore Him.” Let’s look at the name 𓂋𓈖 more closely:

𓁩 – Amun

𓁛 – Ra

𓈘 – Beloved

𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Bore Him/Fashioned Him/Born Of

Rameses II’s birth name cartouche has many variants and can also be written like this: 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓. Certain symbols can be substituted for each other because 𓇋𓏠𓈖 and 𓁩 both mean Amun 𓁜 and 𓇳𓏺 both mean Ra.